Shuffle Challenge
by CeceVolume
Summary: These are little drabbles that come from the classic Shuffle Challenge.  Most characters make appearances, but mostly Damon and Elena.


_This is the _Shuffle Challenge_ that I've been dying to do. Honestly, I don't know why I waited this long.. Anyways, here's the rules:  
><em>**1. Cannot skip a song  
>2. Must use first ten songs on shuffle<br>3. Cannot be in a playlist; must be out of all songs on iPod**

Shuffle Challenge

"_The Moment" - Safetysuit_

Damon woke with a sudden harsh breath, shaken from his dream. Elena and...Stefan? Surely, that wasn't how it had happened.

Rolling onto his side, he decided he would check on her. Surely she would be right next to him, sleeping peacefully.

When he glanced over, however, Elena wasn't there.

_It's my love that she rejects,_ he remembered with a start. In the dream, she had been his, but in reality, she was Stefan's. How could he have forgotten that?

He snarled to himself, flinging himself onto his back, glaring at the ceiling. _Time to find myself a new woman_. He convinced himself that he could—_would_—fall in love with someone else. Even if it killed him.

"_R2 Deepthroat" - Emmure_

He wanted to strike out. At anyone, anything. Just something to distract himself from what he was sure would tear him apart otherwise.

Glancing from the bartender to the other employees, Damon noticed Matt, Caroline's human, was making his way towards him, clear distrust in his eyes. The vampire raised his glass in greeting, then said, "Take a seat. Chat with me."

When Matt did as he was asked, albeit reluctantly, they sat in silence for a few moments.

Damon broke the silence, noting with a smirk, "Isn't Caroline just the hottest fuck you've ever had?"

Matt's face flushed with anger and he spun out of the barstool, hissing under his breath.

"_Don't Cry Out" - Shiny Toy Guns_

Elena stared at Damon, shocked that he would even suggest such a thing. He thought she could just...forget all of Stefan's sacrifices, just because he wasn't close enough to touch? The elder Salvatore's attitude was appalling!

"I will _never_ forget my love for Stefan, no matter what he does or who he allies himself with. I've gotten him to give up killing before; I can do it again," she snarled in Damon's astonished face, tears glittering in her eyes. "I may not be a vampire, but I'll be _ruthless_ to save the ones I love."

Stomping away, she tried to block out his voice, but it echoed in her mind even after she was out of earshot.

"He may not be salvageable anymore. His soul can be completely destroyed by the thirst."

"_Hungover" - Ke$ha_

Another fruitless night of searching for him. Another night where the wake of his destruction was clear, but his direction was not. _Where are you, Stefan? Don't you want to come back to me?_

Damon, Bonnie, and Caroline had left, scouring the town for survivors. So far, there were only a few children left here and there.

Her hand clenched around the sweater in her hand. It still smelled like him. It reminded her that there was hope. But how much longer could she run on her reserves of hope? She knew that with each day, he lost more of himself to the thirst. He was getting more and more out of her reach and all she wanted to do was love him.

"Elena."

Damon said her voice so quietly, so sweetly, that she couldn't stop herself from turning into his chest and crying, clinging to him and Stefan's sweatshirt even though she knew that Bonnie and Caroline would be watching.

_I want Stefan back._

"_If Today Was Your Last Day" - Nickelback_

Jenna would do as fate determined she must. She knew that there was nothing she could do to stop the hands of time. But she would do her damnedest to protect her niece and nephew. If that meant flinging herself into danger...she would do it.

_I'm so sorry, Alaric. I wish I could see you one last time._

The moment the circle around her disappeared, she allowed her new instincts to rise to the surface, as well as the love she held for her family and friends. She would protect them, even if she died.

With a snarl, she flung herself at Klaus, knowing she couldn't win. But if she could distract the witch, Elena might be able to run and get to safety. Sinking her teeth into Klaus's throat, she felt his shock and then laughter just before he body slammed her to the altar.

As he raised the stake to kill her, she didn't close her eyes. She glared into his, thinking, _I love you all so much._

She felt the stake pierce her heart and didn't cry out.

"_Mean" - Taylor Swift_

Bonnie wouldn't listen to their words in her head. She would save her town, her friends, and nothing was going to stop her.

_You'll never be able to harness our power. We'll kill you before we let you abuse it. Helping the vampires that nearly decimated this town centuries ago? We won't allow it! You are nothing more than a traitor, and not much of one at that!_

The young witch ignored their taunts as they continued to echo in her head. She _was_ powerful; she was enough to protect the town from Klaus's evil plans. Reaching deep inside herself, she grabbed her own power and forced it from herself, making the candles in the room flare.

_I _will_ save my friends. If you won't _give _me your power, I'll _take_ it!_

The magic energy in the room increased, but it didn't affect her. Instead, the voices in her head screamed in agony.

"_Rush Together" - Quietdrive_

"We were so close! He was just here!" Elena cried, tears streaming from her brown eyes. "We could have had him!" She spun on Damon, slamming her fists uselessly into his chest, much as she had in front of the tomb. "It's all your fault! If you would have gotten us here sooner...!"

He allowed her the tantrum, feeling the pull at his heart as well. They'd wanted nothing more than to find Stefan, but Klaus had a sixth sense for when they would arrive. Though Damon knew that Klaus was purposely trying to make them lose faith, he wouldn't voice his opinion.

It was better for Elena to be mad at him and focused on Stefan, then for her to cling to him while looking for comfort. He couldn't be sure that he would dishonor the memory of his brother's sacrifice that way.

"_If You Wanted a Song Written About You" - Mayday Parade_

Tyler snarled, tearing apart everything that reminded him of her. Caroline Forbes, who loved his best friend. Caroline Forbes, the vampire, his mortal enemy.

She'd left him alone for his first change without someone there to help him. He wasn't able to even think about who she was with, what she was doing. He didn't want anything to do with her.

He left only one piece of her upright. Something inside him wouldn't let him smash the glass surrounding the picture. She was so beautiful, smiling up at him in that picture. He knew that she was using her wiles on him, but...he loved her.

Even though she loved Matt. Even though she had left him at his most vulnerable time. Even though, in a few years, she would leave him for good.

"_Send My Love to the Dancefloor" - Cobra Starship_

Stefan reveled in the feeling of the warm blood dripping from his chin. The human body he'd drained fell to the ground limply, lying in an unnatural position. He felt no remorse for the young man's life. In fact, he was _glad _to have killed him.

As he looked up, watching as citizens fled from him, he heard Klaus's howl from the northern side of town.

No one in the area would be left alive. Humans would come to know that they had something more to fear than stories. Vampires were very much _real_ and this town would know true terror before they were completely drained.

He chuckled when a middle aged woman tried to block her children and their retreat from his sight. He would easily overpower her and find the children later anyways.

"_Girls Do What They Want" - The Maine_

The three men groaned in unison.

Damon, Jeremy, and Tyler had been invited out with Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline. Unfortunately, that meant that they were in the doghouse because they were being ignored quite beautifully.

Tight jeans, midriff shirts...they were purposefully trying to kill the males. Whatever had been done, they were paying the ultimate price.

The girls danced and ground against each other and their ever-changing partners, leaving their men snarling under their breath. But what could they do?

If they tried to step in, they would only be thrown those withering glares, and that was more than they could handle at this point.


End file.
